Blind Date
by OakStone730
Summary: Harry helps out a friend out of a bind, and gets more than he bargained for. Pairing: Harry/Draco (side mention of Hermione/surprise) Warnings: Pre-slash.


Just a fun bit of fluff written for the prompt "Harry and Draco on a blind date"

))))

"No." Harry shook his head at Kendrick, "Absolutely, not."

"C'mon, Harry, you never know, he might be a great guy."

"If you really thought that then you would be going out with him, and not trying to pawn him off on me."

"I would go, but, Jess is in London. It's the first time since we broke up, I can't-"

"I get that, but I don't see why you don't just call this blind date of yours and tell him that your on-again-off-again relationship is back on."

"I would, if I could, but I don't have his number and Blaise is gone for the weekend."

"I can't believe that you actually let Blaise Zabini set you up with someone, that is just asking for trouble."

"He's always seem alright to me," Kendrick said with a shrug as he turned to check his appearance in the mirror. "It's been ten years since you were in school together. From what I hear, you've changed, I'm sure he isn't the same either."

Harry shrugged: he seriously doubted if Blaise Zabini had given up his Slytherin ways. Kendrick had emigrated from Australia seven years ago to study at St. Mungo's, in the same healing class as Harry. They had hit off right away and Harry had invited him to stay at Grimmauld Place.

"Will you do it?"

"No! Just go to the pub and tell the bloke that the date is off."

"I can't, I have to meet Jess now, I don't want to be late." Kendrick gave Harry a pleading look, "You go and tell him. Maybe he won't mind if Harry Potter shows up to break the news."

"He'll probably be more relieved if no one shows," Harry muttered. "Okay, I'll go break the news that his Australian hunk is going to be a no-show, but you owe me one."

"I do, I'll make supper all this week," Kendrick said with a grin as he grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.

"Right. You'll be boning Jess all week, and I'll starve to death waiting for a meal" Harry said with a laugh, "Get out of here."

OOOOOO

The Twisted Hawthorn was packed, Harry sighed as he looked around, trying to spot Kendrick's mystery man. Supposedly he was looking for a blond who was going to be wearing Muggle clothes, a black leather jacket, a blue v-neck sweater and dragonhide boots.

Realizing that it would be easier to spot a blond who was by himself, Harry started scanning the crowd. Most of the people in the pub looked to be co-workers relaxing after a long week. Not spotting any likely victim, Harry shrugged, ready to leave and just tell Kendrick he'd tried, when he spotted a lone male sitting with his back to Harry at the far end of the bar. Blond and leather jacket. Check, Harry thought. As he dodged his way through the crowd it suddenly occurred to him that he'd forgotten to ask Kendrick the fella's name.

Nothing to be done for it now, but just bluster his way through the apology and leave before the date decided that he would do instead. As he got closer he couldn't help but admire the set of the man's shoulders and the way short blond hair was styled to a taper in the back. The man was still sitting with his back to the room a half-glass of wine in front of him on the bar. He was not looking around as if expecting Kendrick or anyone else to be approaching him. Maybe it was the wrong man, Harry thought.

"Pardon me, are you waiting for-" Harry broke off as the blond turned and he was suddenly staring into the all-too familiar grey eyes of Draco Malfoy. The two of them stared at each other before Malfoy picked up his glass of wine and finished it in one swallow.

"I am going to fucking kill Zabini," was all Malfoy said as he stood up and threw a galleon on the bar.

"Wait! I'm not your, erm, date." Harry said hastily, although why he was worried about Malfoy getting the wrong impression, he did not know. "My roommate, Kendrick, he was supposed to meet you- or someone, but something came up. And, erm, he couldn't make it so he asked me to, erm-"

"Something came up?" Malfoy raised an eyebrow at him and Harry flushed.

"Yeah, his dick," Harry explained with a grin, "His old boyfriend came in from America."

"And how did you get to be offered up as the replacement." Malfoy had motioned over the bartender and ordered another glass of wine, he turned to look expectantly at Harry. Flustered Harry stammered out a request for a pint.

As the bartender set down their drinks, Harry tried again. "I'm not the replacement, he just asked me to let you know that he wouldn't be showing, but he neglected to tell me your name so I didn't realize it was you, until, you know."

"Yes, Potter. I get it." Malfoy took another sip, "I was about to leave anyway, I don't know how Blaise talked me into this in the first place."

"Blind dates are never a good idea."

"Been on a few have you?"

"Hermione was my Blaise," Harry said with a self-conscious laugh. "When I first, erm, you know, came out.-"

"Yes, I do recall the titillating headlines at the time." Draco paused, a sly smile flitting across his face. "And the photographs."

Harry couldn't help but laugh with him, his coming out _had_ been spectacular in terms of headlines: only two years after they left Hogwarts he had been caught with his hands down the trousers of the seeker for the Cannons at a New Year's Eve Party. "Potter Catching the Seeker's Snitches" had been his favorite headline, of course he could have done without the photographs documenting the catch. At the time, though, it had been a relief. He'd known he was gay for years, it wasn't something he was ashamed of and he refused to hide it any longer.

"Yes, well, she attempted to help me find someone special. Disasters, all of them. After the third time I flatly refused to go to her house without her first taking a wizard vow that there would not just happen to be a gorgeous blond hunk from her department also invited."

"Blond?" Malfoy quirked an eyebrow at Harry and Harry felt his cheeks begin to burn with embarrassment.

"She seems to prefer them." Harry took a sip of his beer to hide the blatant lie.

"Really? If I recall correctly, she has a distinct pleasure for ginger although lately she has been favoring brunettes." Interesting, it seemed that Malfoy might know more about Hermione's latest boyfriend than he did, Harry thought. She and Ron had finally come to the mutual conclusion that they were better friends than lovers, but she'd been very tight-lipped about her new beau.

"Oh, I meant for me." Harry tried to pass it off with a laugh, "I don't know why." He wasn't about to admit that he had made the mistake, years ago, of telling Hermione that his first crush had been on one Draco Malfoy.

"So how did you get elected to be messenger boy for my would-be blind date?" Malfoy had slipped off his jacket and hung it on the back of the chair. After a pause Harry did the same with his, he had to finish his beer after all.

"Oh, Kendrick lives with me," Harry said, flushing as Malfoy raised his eyebrow at Harry's statement.

What was it with the eyebrow? Harry thought, he didn't remember ever noticing Malfoy's eyebrows before. Of course, he hadn't seen the man in over five years, maybe he'd discovered post-Hogwarts what a turn on it was. If Malfoy did know its sexual power he wouldn't be using it on Harry.

"We work together at St. Mungo's, he rents a room from me. We're not, you know, a couple. He just lives with me..." he finished off lamely, uncertain why he didn't want Malfoy misunderstanding their relationship.

"When he isn't sticking his cock in his ex-boyfriend." Malfoy smirked into his glass of wine. Harry laughed, his roommate did have one major weakness and that was Jess. He supposed that was why Zabini had tried to set him up with Malfoy. Personally, Harry couldn't see Malfoy and Kendrick as a couple but he was from a good judge of what it took to make a successful pairing.

"Kendrick is a good bloke." Harry defended him half-heartedly as he lifted his glass to take another sip of his beer, to his surprise, it was empty.

Malfoy stood up and put on his jacket, "C'mon, Potter. I paid for the drinks, you can pay for dinner."

"But..." Harry broke off as Draco held up his jacket for him to put on, "I was just the messenger."

"You'll do, Potter, you'll do." Without looking back Malfoy headed towards the door, after a moment, during which Harry was decidedly _not_ looking at Malfoy's ass, he followed.

OoOOoOOO

Across town, Blaise Zabini nuzzled Hermione's neck. "I told you, no enraged Gryffindor pounding down your door, no Howlers. You need to learn to trust me."

Hermione grimaced even as her body betrayed and pressed itself against him, "I'll concede this time, but if I get woken up by a floo-call from Harry in the middle of the night, I'm blaming you."

"I locked the floo when I arrived," Blaise purred as his fingers started unbuttoning her blouse.


End file.
